How To Let Go Of Negative Thoughts and Emotions

In the best circumstances, letting go of negative thoughts may be very difficult, particularly when overwhelmed.

We’ve all felt powerless to let go once our emotions, body, and mind run in a tight loop, keeping us from having clarity, calm, enjoying our everyday events, or sleeping well.

What is crucial, and something that many people overlook, is that you cannot just replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Even when you’re trying to push away those thoughts, everybody would be alright if we could accomplish it. 

Overcoming negativity entails altering how we interact with our ideas and being able to direct our attention in more beneficial directions. The ultimate reward of being able to let go is being able to embrace life and luxuriate in its flow.

Allowing negative feelings, unhelpful thoughts, and energies to leave creates new possibilities, fresh room inside ourselves, and new opportunities in our surroundings.

In this article, we’ll explore some methods for letting go of negative emotions and thoughts. Keep reading to learn more!

Easy & Simple Steps To Let Go Of Negative Thoughts

While some people might need to go to a mental health professional for counseling, experts believe that there are straightforward actions people can take to help them overcome negative thinking and develop more enjoyment, vitality, and purpose in their lives.

Take A Step Back

First, realize that you are not your ideas; you are only hanging onto them now. You’re monitoring them and creating a secure environment for them to exist. However, they’re not an image of who you are, and you don’t need to act, certainly not yet.

Naming your unpleasant thoughts might also be beneficial. For example, you can call them “Apophis,” after the Egyptian god of chaos and destruction.

When you are in a negative mental spiral or a negative thought pass by, tell yourself, “Oh, here’s Apophis again.” “What have you got for me today, buddy?” This approach allows us to learn how to detach from these thoughts without having to struggle with them.

You may acquire perspective on the part your negative thought pattern plays in your life by creating a small divide between the foundation of “you” and them.

So, take a step back, take a few deep breaths, and push away negative thoughts. Your ideas and thoughts are just passengers and not drivers. Furthermore, no matter how tough they seem, they are only transitory.

Acknowledge Your Thoughts and Feelings

Take note of how we feel and what we think, and identify where we are in ourselves right now. To be equipped to let go, we must first establish a connection with ourselves and become observers of our experiences and what’s happening to us. 

Especially if it’s unpleasant since this is where letting go will come in handy. This is especially useful for “persistent” ideas that are not easy to let go of.

Decide

It is essential to realize that we can decide to let go. We may make a conscious decision to stop mentally replaying events. If we think about an unpleasant situation or someone who has wronged us, we might tell ourselves to “let them go.”

Try to be as kind to yourself as you would towards a loved one the next time you catch yourself dwelling on the past. Take a deep breath and see your thoughts fading away.

Speak To Somebody About It

The simple act of letting things out of your chest may sometimes seem like a tremendous weight has been removed. It might be nice to know that you are not alone in dealing with your thoughts, as though someone else is sharing your load.

Quit Blaming

Pulling out the ‘victim card’ is easy, but remember that most situations have two sides. If you are willing to assume responsibility for the circumstances, it is essential to acknowledge this fact internally and, if required, communicate it to the relevant individual.

Concentrating on how you could have dealt with the situation better (and how you intend to do it appropriately next time) gives you a feeling of empowerment to stop negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.

Keep Yourself In The Present

When you entirely embrace the present moment, you have little opportunity and energy to reflect on past mistakes, and you can be able to stop dwelling on negative thoughts.

Like a story, you wish you didn’t say at the office event or the mistake you made years ago that you still can’t get over.

If we make mistakes or make poor choices in the past, there’s always a chance for improvement. Acknowledging that we cannot accomplish or master everything and that we are not perfect drives us toward positivity and brings our awareness back to the present moment.

If you can assume responsibility, confess it to yourself and, if needed, to the other person. Spending time meditating and praying helps bring a more concentrated presence to your days.

Embrace Positive and Negative Experiences

Although it might be challenging sometimes, we must attempt to be less focused on the good and bad pieces of each experience and rather perceive life as a collection of diverse experiences.

Acknowledging each of them may be pretty beneficial in taking some steps back and moving forward, as well as dealing with negative thoughts.

Gather The Things You Can Control

Make a list of the things you have control over in the scenario. You may not be able to influence another person’s mind, but you are in charge of your attitude, the amount of effort you spend on resolving a problem, and whether you perceive the situation as a chance to learn something significant.

Use Positive Affirmations

After you wake up, smile and express thankfulness for the fresh day. Make a list of daily affirmations such as:

• I cherish those whom I work with
• I offer positive changes every day
• I am willing to entertain inspired thoughts.

If you find yourself sounding negative, see if you can take a pause and adjust the way you speak. If a negative idea arises, recall a past accomplishment and the feelings that accompanied it. Positive thinking is a daily activity that is well worth the effort.

Use The “then what” Concept

Typically, our negative thoughts pertain to whether we think we’ll be able to manage external circumstances, such as being out of control or wondering whether we’ll get through this.

This exercise is meant to help you mentally go through the worst-case situation. Anticipating hardship is a method with origins in Stoic philosophy. Journal every negative notion you have. For example, “I can’t find another project.” Then tell yourself, “Then what?”

• We can’t pay our rent today. Then what?
• We’ll need to get a loan. Then what?
• They have the option to decline. Then what?
• We’ll have to rely on relatives. Then what?

Forget The Need To Control It All

It is natural to feel better when we feel completely in control of our lives, but regrettably, this is not always the case.

Accepting this allows us to see that the most powerful times in our personal journeys occur when we aren’t in control. 

It’s about developing a new idea that being in the rhythm of things means staying mentally strong, focused, and flexible rather than being in control.

Make Use of Your Body and Breath

Sophrology teaches us how to utilize our bodily awareness to change how we think, feel, and perceive our world. The body is an excellent place to begin learning to let things go, particularly for those who get stuck in negative thinking and a never-ending mental cycle.

Every practice we undertake incorporates body awareness, movement with our bodies, and a period of pause and incorporation. Pausing is an excellent method to start teaching ourselves to let go of this mental struggle.

Feeling at ease in these pauses is the first step toward truly letting go. They educate us to watch and accept the experiences that come our way.

Enhance Your Sleeping Habits

Sleep is the pinnacle of letting go; once close your eyes and fall asleep quickly, you are already highly capable of letting go! Poor sleep is usually a result of all the events we can’t fully comprehend throughout the day.

We bring them with us to bed. Sophrology provides several methods for letting go and positively resetting our sleep.

Use The Negativity To Do Something Good

Sometimes it’s a real jerk! Always pulling us down. Use this distressing or negative experience, thought, or event to motivate you to assist others so they won’t ever experience it.

Volunteer in the community, comfort a family member or friend in need, or adopt a pet. There is always an opportunity to use a negative experience to benefit another person.

Connect  With Positive People

It might be beneficial to vent about the problem to friends or family, but be careful not to convert this into another reliving of negative ideas. You will notice that merely being in the company of individuals you care about makes you happy.

Laughing at something entirely unrelated to your worry and being aware of the people in your life who care about you helps to put everything into perspective.

Final Thoughts

If you have negative thought patterns that are interfering with your life, consider speaking with a mental health expert. While it might be difficult to disclose your ideas with others, therapists can examine your negative thought patterns and assist you in developing a better inner dialogue.

It takes time to change negative thinking, and it’s not an overnight fix. This is difficult and time-consuming, but with experience, it becomes more straightforward, and you may construct new automatic, effective ideas for you.

FAQs

Can negative thoughts come true?

When we hang on to notions like, “No one would like to spend time with me; I’m such a loser,” to the extent of not reaching out to friends or attempting to connect with new people, these thoughts become a reality.

How do our negative ideas influence our actions?

Your ideas produce feelings, which you then act on. This action then produces a result. Change your thinking, and your emotions will shift. Your actions will then alter, and your outcomes will be different.